


What Could it Mean?

by EscapeProductionTeam



Series: Escape is an Illusion [1]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Backstory, Comfort/Angst, Drama, F/F, Gem War, Homeworld (Steven Universe), Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-19 23:50:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20665862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EscapeProductionTeam/pseuds/EscapeProductionTeam
Summary: Purple Sapphire was a bit unlike the others, taller in build and constantly worrisome about what her future vision foretold. After stumbling into a guard, her future changed unpredictably. Everything seemed to be going for the better until she received an ominous warning through her abilities. What was she to do...?





	What Could it Mean?

Fear.  
It was an emotion that Purple Sapphire was very familiar with. Ever since her creation, she had always worried and stressed about what her future vision foretold, assuming the worst of outcomes. She continued to fret even when her assumptions were proven wrong time and time again. She consistently thought her foresight brought terrible omens, nothing but the most severe of scenarios. There was always the chance that she’d be right for once, and great doom would fall upon the situation. It may have not happened yet, but that didn’t change the fact that it was still a possibility, no matter how small.  
Due to her constant ramblings and panic attacks every time she spoke about the future, she was frowned upon by all of those who tried to listen to her, becoming quickly annoyed with her yammering nonsense.  
Even though Purple was made aware of these circumstances ahead of time, they still stung. It didn’t help that she already appeared different because of her taller height and skinnier build in comparison to other Sapphires.  
Most of the time, Purple stayed on her lonesome, quietly overthinking every single path she saw, and hoping she wouldn’t be called by Blue Diamond. Things never seemed to go well when she reported to her ruler. Her anxiety would spike through the roof to all new heights, her sentences even less distinguishable than usual.  
True, she did know other Gems and became acquainted and even friends with them over time, but they didn’t seem to fill the vast expanse of jittery emptiness inside of her.  
Sky Blue Lapis did her best to reassure the Sapphire, imputing her own optimistic viewpoint of life to combat with Purple’s pessimistic one. The Lapis would give a bright happy smile and say consoling words, like: “Well, there is the chance that things will go bad, but there’s also the chance that things will turn out wonderfully, right?”  
Purple was grateful for Sky’s comfort, and it did often calm the Sapphire down, yet two extreme viewpoints could lead to complications and hardships, causing Purple to break down about which would be the more likely to occur during the more stressful of visions.  
Chrysoprase provided a more neutral standpoint on the ordeal, saying that Purple should just remain loyal to Blue and act as well as she could, no matter what the outcome. After all, as long as a Gem persisted to be dutiful to the Diamonds, it was highly unlikely any cruel fate would be met upon them, but instead great benefits.  
That was Chrysoprase’s understanding anyway.  
Once again, Purple was appreciative of the reality checks Chrysoprase provided, but the insecurity inside of her proceeded to linger, whispering ‘what if’s in her mind.  
That all changed after she met Pink Topaz.  
At one point, Purple foresaw a good and happy future, one that made her feel light and free-floating instead of foreboding and heavy.  
Since this was such a rarity for the Sapphire, she began to panic about that, unsure if perhaps it could lead to a negative outcome in the end, a false sense of security.  
She had been so worrisome, she hadn’t even noticed the path the future was taking, and didn’t foresee her bumping into another Gem until after the fact.  
“Hey! Watch where you’re going!” A voice snapped.  
“O-oh my goodness! I am so sorry! I didn’t see you there! I should have seen you there, but I didn’t...My apologies…” Purple rambled, reaching out a hand to help the Gem up.  
The other Gem grumbled. “You’re lucky I’m used to this, otherwise I would have---” She cut herself off as she realized who had bumped into her. “O-oh! Excuse my sharp tongue, My Sapphire,” the Gem apologized as she stood up, putting her hands in the Diamond salute. “It has a habit of getting ahead of itself, the darn thing!”  
Purple let a smile creep onto her face. She even let out a giggle. What was this? Why did she feel the exact opposite as she did most of the time?  
Trying to keep her focus on the current moment, she replied, “You needn’t be formal all the time...” She thought about mentioning how she didn’t deserve such high respect when she was so bad at her job, but decided it wouldn’t be the smartest thing to say. “I really don’t mind...I forgive you and your tongue.”  
The Gem chuckled a little nervously, looking unsure of how to respond.  
“Oh how rude of me…!” Purple exclaimed, raising one of her white gloved hands to her mouth. “I didn’t ask your name…”  
“Oh, I’m Pink Topaz, a guard whose post is constantly switching. They can’t seem to keep me someplace permanent, darn my shortness…” She mumbled.  
Purple pushed her dark fig colored hair up so she could better look at the Gem in front of her using her light violet colored eye.  
“I don’t think being short is a bad thing…” she replied. “You could use it as an advantage and surprise an attacker in a fight, catching them off guard,” She suggested. “Besides, you aren’t too short. You’re taller than a Ruby, so that’s something,” she stated, letting go of her hair and letting her bangs fall in front of her eye once more.  
“That’s true,” Pink agreed with a chuckle and a snort. Feeling a lively energy inside of her she had hardly experienced before, Purple laughed along with a small smile. 

The conversation had been brief and seemingly insignificant, but it did in fact carry an impact upon Purple, changing her future in ways she both had and hadn’t seen coming. Ever since their first encounter, Pink and Purple purposefully met up with each other frequently, and Purple introduced Pink to Sky Blue Lapis and Chrysoprase. Whenever she wished to meet the Topaz, Purple would use her future vision to help her with when and where to find Pink, experiencing slightly less fear and hesitation towards her prophetic abilities. Still, she remained very wary of what the least probable of outcomes could mean, but with Pink’s help, she very gradually got better. Pink had a way of comforting that was quite different from the methods used by Chrysoprase and Sky Blue Lapis. Pink was more forward with her reconciling in a manner similar to Chrysoprase’s, without as much of an ‘always obey your Diamond’ slant. 

One example of Pink’s style for reassurance occurred a little while after she and Purple bumped into each other. It was one of the first times Pink saw Purple’s constant vulnerability towards her ability skills in telling to tell the future. Purple had attempted to hide her fear at first, not wanting to trouble the Topaz with her problems, but eventually the stress got to the point where it broke Purple down and she let everything spill.  
The Sapphire had been pacing back and forth, gloved hand near her mouth, and her teeth biting her lip in an act of anxiety.  
“What’s wrong…?” Pink asked with an obvious hint of concern.  
“Nothing…” Sapphire replied quietly. “Or at least, that’s what they always say. They constantly tell me I’m being too paranoid, overly fretful and obsessive of the most unlikely of scenarios...they tell me I should just calm down and not worry, but how can I not? I am among the few who can be warned ahead of time about what is to occur. In a sense, the fate of those I know lies upon my hands. If I fail to complete my purpose in time, the resulting future is my fault, the consequences those I care about recieve being an effect of my negligence and inability to be a proper Sapphire...why is it so hard for me…?” She rambled, digging her hands into her long and now mussed hair before slumping down into a sitting position with a sigh. She folded her arms on her lap and turned to face Pink Topaz. “I’m sorry…” she apologized quietly. “This is a constant outcome for whenever I so much as glance forward with my abilities, no matter if that glance is intentional or accidental.”

Pink Topaz shook her head, compassion shining through on her countenance. The emotion was rather rare for the Gem, not only because she was supposed to be a stone-faced guard, but for personal reasons as well. “No...you don’t need to say you’re sorry…I want to help you, Purple.” She replied. “I want to be here for you whenever you need it.” With hesitance, she moved her hand a little towards Purple’s hand, but had a change of heart and moved it to her side.  
“I’m going to be blunt with you. Existing can be tough, even when you have your entire purpose already given to you the moment you start to think and become your own being. You have your doubts that maybe you aren’t really made for what is expected of you, that perhaps you’ll invariably mess up and fall short of the presumptions others have for you. However, you can’t let them beat you. That’s what the negatives want, to take control over you. It may seem impossible, but you have to keep pushing forward, continue to defy their guess that you are less than or inferior. That doesn’t mean you should create a mask and pretend to be who you aren’t, like I did…” she trailed off. “I’m not at all as tough as I appear to be, I’m about as scrawny as I physically look. I’m of little to no use in a fight. So, I try to act meaner and more confrontational in the hopes I’d be accepted more. I’ve come to learn that’s an unhealthy habit of mind, but I’ve been using it for so long, it’s become a part of me…” The Topaz chuckled. “See? I’m going off on a rant too…” she murmured.  
“Anyway, I suppose I should cut to the chase. I believe you need to set a motivation to be yourself. For me lately, it’s been you…” she flustered a little. “I never really had many Gems I knew on a personal level until I met you, Sky and Chrysoprase. You changed my way of thinking without realizing it, affecting my future in a way. Now I strive to be myself because I know all of you like me for me...no matter if I mess up in huge detrimental ways, even if it seems that it all is my fault, you let me feel less guilty about the ordeal, not seeing me as a failure, but an accepted being with flaws...and that’s something I hardly ever got to experience until now…”

A few tears trailed down from behind Purple’s bangs to the bottom of her chin. 

Pink grimaced, as if terrified she may have upset the other Gem, but her expression relaxed when she saw the small smile that had formed on Purple’s face. The Sapphire clutched onto one of Topaz’s hands and squeezed it affectionately. It was hard for her to imagine that she had such a positive influence on Pink’s existence instead of Purple’s feared belief it would go horribly. Pink’s future seemed to be altered for the better, and Purple hadn’t even said too much to the pink Gem about what she foresaw. She was forever grateful to the openness and understanding Pink kept, despite her rather sharp-tongued persona.  
When Pink noticed Purple’s hand clutched around one of Pink’s own, a light magenta spread on her dark taffy pink cheeks, and she gave a smile back.  
The two of them sat like that for a while, not saying much, but not feeling awkward. The silence was more comfortable than uncomfortable, a peace during their sometimes stressful existences. At the moment, none of that seemed to matter.  
Purple recognized the worries she’d occasionally get from her visions, but they appeared to be so insignificant at this point in time. Why fret about something that may never occur and ruin this nice moment between her and Pink? Such an opportunity may not present itself in the near future, so it was better to not take these chances for granted.  
There was also a feeling of security Pink Topaz carried with her. Perhaps it was the fact her original purpose was to be a guard, or the protective nature she held for those she cared the most for. Whatever the reason, it was unlike the safety Purple felt with Chrysoprase or Sky. This notion of refuge seemed to connect to Purple on a deep personal level.  
Purple wished she could have stayed in that moment forever, finally feeling as if the future was just the future and she should leave it be, letting herself exist in and enjoy the present. 

Of course, eventually the two had to part ways and complete their assigned tasks. Even when Purple had just recently left the Topaz’s side, she longed for the chance to reunite with Pink again, to experience that security from the rest of Homeworld, even if it was only for a short period of time. 

For a good while amount of time, everything seemed normal. Purple and Pink would frequently visit one another, Purple would meet with Sky and Chrysoprase, she went through the intermittent stressful foresight and went to Pink about it. Then, Purple suffered her worst vision yet. Part of the reason it was so terrible was how she had very little idea about what the vision meant. She simply began to shake, small trembles that gradually turned into large continuous shivers. Her entire conscience filled with an overwhelming sense of dread, as well as a mix of other emotions she couldn’t yet identify. A repetitious clattering sound was the only non-emotional clue she received about the terrible event that was strongly predicted to occur. Panicked, Purple searched around for Pink, calling out the Topaz’s name and trying to use her prediction abilities to find her, only for those attempts to be fruitless. She couldn’t use her ability, all efforts being cancelled out by the overcoming apprehension.  
“Topaz! Pink Topaz! Where are you! I-I can’t find you! Help me!” She called out desperately, her voice trembling along with her body.

Purple was about to shout once more when she was cut short by a hand that was put on her shoulder.

“I’m right here, you don’t need to fret,” Pink spoke reassuringly. 

Purple let out a sigh of relief that was rather short-lived due to the unease that swallowed any and all positivity the Sapphire experienced.

“Now, what has got you so spooked?” Pink questioned, slight worry audible in her tone.

“I-I don’t know...t-that’s just it…! I know literally nothing! I began to shake and feel horrible foreboding, as if to suggest some kind of terrible outcome that I know nothing about! All I’m getting are emotions! Nothing else! Usually I get some kind of visual or audible clue along with the feelings, but there’s not much besides the emotions! W-what if I’m missing out on something very important? What if awful fates are about to fall upon us and I’m failing to give adequate detail? What if I should be knowing what is to come, but can’t because of my worrying and now whatever will happen will be entirely my fault? What if-”  
Purple was cut off by Pink putting a finger against the Sapphire’s lips. 

“Woah woah woah! Slow down, I can’t keep up! I can’t help you if you speak too quickly for me to properly understand. This Topaz isn’t the smartest you know,” she said with a soft chuckle. She withdrew her finger and added, “So, you mentioned something about emotions, like...several times now. Perhaps try to focus on them one by one one at a time, maybe that will help.” She shrugged. “Though I’m not the Sapphire here so that method is something you’ll have to try yourself.”

Purple nodded, doing her best to calm herself and pay attention to each and every feeling that accompanied the rather strange vision. “I feel...f-fear...horrendous, monstrous fear, it’s one of the main reasons why I’m shaking so much...a-and shock, so strong and sudden like a harsh slap...there’s also...sadness...a great grief that absorbs the whole of my being so unimaginable and impossible to describe...a-and...a-and…” Suddenly, the feeling she was detailing overwhelmed her, and she began to sob, a steady stream spilling from her eye. She let out a short gasp of surprise as she felt arms wrap comfortingly around her.

“There there, it’s okay, everything will be fine.” Pink murmured.

“H-how...h-how can you be so sure? I’ve never had a vision quite like this, i-it m-must be important!” Purple argued.

“True, something bad may happen, maybe something that even Sapphires can’t see coming. It could or couldn’t be as horrible as you predict, but no matter what, I know we can move on...we can get through the difficult moments together, side by side, not letting anything bring us down. You may not believe this, Saph, but you’re strong, in a way I’ve never known before. You did find your purpose to move forward and remain strong willed, I’m very proud of you. Now, you just have to adapt to the circumstances. Who knows? Maybe this is some kind of test to see how far you’ve come. If so, I am confident you can ace it…”

Purple nodded, listening to the Topaz’s words intently and letting them soothe her at least by a small portion. Still sniffling, she hugged the Gem in return, feeling more relaxed by the embarace. The two gems remained in each others’ arms, staying relatively silent aside from a few murmurs from Pink and soft sobbing from Purple. Then, Purple felt a warm radiant tingle from the gem above her eye. She began to panic again and wonder if it was either a new vision or an addition to the current one, when a white glow surrounded both her and Pink. 

It quickly came to a halt as Pink and Purple turned towards the sound of wings flapping. Flying a few feet above them was Sky Blue Lapis, her large, white and fluffy cloud wings carrying the Gem downwards to the ground. She had a bright smile on her face and called out an enthusiastic, “Hey you two!” as a greeting with a chipper wave. Her expression changed into one of concern as she noticed how distraught Purple was. “Did I come at a bad time…?”

As Purple drew more of her attention to the Lapis, the sense of foreboding and warning surpassed all other thoughts and feelings from the Sapphire, as if suggesting the vision had to do with Sky specifically. Purple’s fear peaked to all new heights.  
...What could it mean....?


End file.
